Thursday, 4 June 2015

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- The condition of hunger-striking prisoner Khader Adnan, who has been on strike for a month, is deteriorating and he is in serious danger, a prisoners' rights group said Wednesday.

The director of the legal department of the Palestinian Prisoner's Society, Jawad Boulos, who visited Adnan in the Ramle prison's clinic, said that Adnan is only drinking water, without salt, sugar or any vitamins and that he refuses to undergo any medical tests.

Adnan told Boulos that the Israel Prison Service visited him Wednesday morning in his cell and told him that he would be moved to a civilian hospital "by force" if necessary.

The prison service said that according to their rules, a prisoner who has been on hunger strike for over 28 days, without taking medical tests, salt, or vitamins will be treated as someone in critical condition who requires transfer for immediate medical care.

Adnan said he refuses to be moved to any civilian hospital, and is currently being held in the solitary confinement.

His family held a press conference in Ramallah on Wednesday to highlight his plight, with his mother saying that he is barely able to move.

The national leadership of the UK’s National Union of Students (NUS) has voted to align itself with the Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement.

In reaction, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by smearing the millions-strong organization as supporters of Islamic State, the violent extremist group also known as ISIS or ISIL.

“In a 19-4 vote with one abstention, the confederation of 600 student unions across the United Kingdom passed the pro-BDS proposal on Tuesday at a meeting of its National Executive Council,” according to JTA.

The NUS press office could not immediately provide The Electronic Intifada with an official copy of the resolution, but said it would be posted on its website in coming days.

Netanyahu’s smear

“This is less than a year after they refused to support a boycott of ISIS,” Netanyahu said in reaction to the vote, during a meeting with Canada’s foreign minister.

“They boycott Israel but they refuse to boycott ISIS. That tells you everything you want to know about the BDS movement. They condemn Israel and do not condemn ISIS,” the Israeli prime minister alleged.

Airstrikes targeted three training bases of the Izzadine al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of Hamas, in Gaza City and a fourth in the southern city of Khan Younis.

No injuries or casualties were reported.

An Israeli military statement spoke only of three hits in total and did not give their location or identify the targets.

The airstrikes came after the Israeli army confirmed two rockets fired from the Gaza Strip late Wednesday night.

"Yesterday, June 3, 2015, two rockets were launched at southern Israel from the Gaza Strip," it said adding that they fell on open ground near the southern city of Ashkelon and the town of Netivot, with no injuries or damage immediately reported.
A militant Salafi organization, identified in a statement posted on Twitter as Sheikh Omar Hadid Brigade, claimed responsibility for the rocket fire saying it was in response to the "killing of an IS fighter in Gaza a day ago by Hamas militants."

"We are continuing with our jihad against the Jews, the enemies of God and no one will be able to deter us," the statement added. more